ave elapsed."

"Ten minutes and no blood! The weapon must still have been there. Some
weapon with a short and inconspicuous handle. I think they said there
were flowers over and around the place where it struck?"

"Yes, great big scarlet ones. Nobody noticed--nobody looked. A panic
like that seems to paralyse people."

"Ten minutes! I must see every one who approached her during those
ten minutes. Every one, Sweetwater, and I must myself talk with Miss
Clarke."

"You will like her. You will believe every word she says."

"No doubt. All the more reason why I must see her. Sweetwater, someone
drew that weapon out. Effects still have their causes, notwithstanding
the new cult. The question is who? We must leave no stone unturned to
find that out."

"The stones have all been turned over once."

"By you?"

"Not altogether by me."

"Then they will bear being turned over again. I want to be witness of
the operation."

"Where will you see Miss Clarke?"

"Wherever she pleases--only I can't walk far."

"I think I know the place. You shall have the use of this elevator. It
has not been running since last night or it would be full of curious
people all the time, hustling to get a glimpse of this place. But
they'll put a man on for you."

"Very good; manage it as you will. I'll wait here till you're ready.
Explain yourself to the lady. Tell her I'm an old and rheumatic invalid
who has been used to asking his own questions. I'll not trouble her
much. But there is one point she must make clear to me."

Sweetwater did not presume to ask what point, but he hoped to be fully
enlightened when the time came.

And he was. Mr. Gryce had undertaken to educate him for this work, and
never missed the opportunity of giving him a lesson. The three met in
a private sitting-room on an upper floor, the detectives entering first
and the lady coming in soon after. As her quiet figure appeared in the
doorway, Sweetwater stole a glance at Mr. Gryce. He was not looking her
way, of course; he never looked directly at anybody; but he formed his
impressions for all that, and Sweetwater was anxious to make sure of
these impressions. There was no doubting them in this instance. Miss
Clarke was not a woman to rouse an unfavourable opinion in any man's
mind. Of slight, almost frail build, she had that peculiar animation
which goes with a speaking eye and a widely sympathetic nature. Without
any substantial claims to beauty, her expression wa